Finding purpose in a Pandemic: How COVID helped Stephen swap security work for support

When the world shut down in 2020, Stephen Lunn found himself doing something he hadn’t done in two decades of Birmingham nightlife... stopping. 

For more than 20 years, he worked the doors of some of the city’s busiest clubs and venues. He was a steady presence in the chaos - keeping people safe and calming arguments before they escalated. It was fast, it was loud, and it was his bread and butter.  

And then when the pandemic struck and lockdowns were enforced, overnight, it was gone. 

With clubs closed and security work drying up, Stephen took a job at his local A&E, thinking it would simply tide him over. Instead, it completely changed the direction of his life. 

Inside the hospital, Stephen discovered something he’d never stopped long enough to notice ... his gift for supporting people at their most vulnerable moments. 

He found himself talking quietly with people suffering mental health crises, helping autistic patients feel calmer, listening — really listening — to people who felt frightened and overwhelmed. 

“I realised I was good at putting myself in their shoes,” he said “Trying to understand where they were coming from, not judging, just being there.” 

It didn’t go unnoticed. A colleague gently suggested he consider a role in care which Stephen laughed off at first. But he couldn’t shake the idea. 

A few months later, a job came up at Lifeways’ Stourside supported living service. On instinct, more than anything else, he applied. 

From day one, Stephen felt something he hadn’t felt in years: a sense of purpose. 

“The people here are amazing,” he explained. “The team, the training, the support - if you don’t know something, you can just ask. There’s always something new to learn, and everyone genuinely wants you to succeed.”


A year in, the work feels less like a job and more like a calling. The pace is calmer than his old nightlife world, but the impact is deeper. One of the people he supports even asked him personally to become his key worker. It was a moment Stephen described as “a real privilege.” 

Helping people live fuller, more independent lives has changed Stephen too. With his own son now going through an autism referral, he says the role has given him a richer understanding of neurodiversity and a huge amount of empathy. 

“If my presence can improve someone’s day, even a bit,” he said, “that means more to me now than anything I ever did on a nightclub door.” 

Stephen isn’t finished growing, either. He’s already looking ahead to new skills, new training, and potentially a Team Leader role. 

For a man who spent 20 years guiding people through queues and crowds, the pandemic nudged him somewhere entirely unexpected - a place where he’s not just keeping people safe but helping them thrive. 

“I haven’t looked back,” he said. “This feels like where I’m meant to be.”